All-Star Bean Main Dishes

Beans and legumes are nutritional superstars. Instead of relegating beans to the side dish role, let these vegetarian recipes be the main player on the plate.

Randy Mayor

White Bean Salad with Asparagus and Artichokes

Steam baby artichokes and fresh asparagus to combine with the white beans in this colorful springtime salad. This super-quick main dish salad takes less than 20 minutes to prepare. Slice the radishes, green onions and basil while the vegetables are steaming.

Portobello and Black Bean Quesadillas

Sautéed portobellos are delicious in ragouts; as a topping for polenta or pizza; or as a filling for fajitas, tacos, or quesadillas. The portobello mushroom stands up to the robust flavors in these quesadillas, all the while preserving its own sturdy texture.

Falafel with Avocado Spread

Falafel is a Middle Eastern specialty made by deep-frying patties of ground chickpeas. This Latin twist on this dish uses pinto beans combined with crushed tortilla chips, cilantro, and cumin. The patties are pan-fried in a small amount of oil, making them lower in fat than traditional falafel.

Black Bean Tacos

The protein in these veggie-packed tacos comes from black beans and seitan (wheat gluten), which has a chewy, meatlike texture. Serve the tacos with the tangy Avocado Salsa–a chunky version of guacamole.

Baked Gigantes in Tomato Sauce

Baked beans take on a whole new identity in this hearty dish featuring gigantes–a Greek version of lima beans–that are baked in a chunky herbed tomato sauce. If you can't find gigantes, you can substitute large lima beans.

Hominy-Pinto Burgers with Roasted Poblano Chiles

Bean burgers are even better when the beans are processed with hominy and masa harina–the "dough" used to make corn tortillas. The smokiness of roasted poblanos perfectly complements the southwestern spiciness of the burgers and toppings.

Split Pea-Spinach Dal with Cauliflower

A dal is a classic Indian legume stew that's served in some form with almost every meal. This one features yellow split peas, spinach and cauliflower and gets its distinctive flavor from cumin, turmeric, and mustard seeds.

Give up the box mix because making Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese from scratch is easier than you think. Shredding a block of cheese adds a little more prep time but the smooth and creamy results are worth it. For more tasty mac and cheese recipes, see our complete Macaroni and Cheese recipe collection.)